Don't call me Toby
by Shattered-record
Summary: Tobias desperately wanted to struggle and get out of his father's grip. He did not want to go in that tiny, tiny closet. But those thoughts went against what his faction stood for. So, he went limp, willingly walking forward towards what was becoming one of his biggest fears. Fourtris fanfic, set wayyyy before Divergent. Rated T for abuse


Tobias desperately wanted to struggle and get out of his father's grip. He did not want to go in that tiny, tiny closet. But those thoughts went against what his faction stood for. So, he went limp, willingly walking forward towards what was becoming one of his biggest fears. He didn't want to, yet he had no choice.

Marcus Eaton had become increasingly brutal with his son lately; the abandonment of his wife broke what little restraint was left. Punishments happened left and right for the mourning nine year old. He never seemed to do anything right. The scoldings Tobias used to receive (he was always a bit of a trouble maker) felt like nothing in comparison to being in the small, suffocating closet. Or even worse, the makeshift lashes with his belt. Abnegation weren't supposed to feel bad for themselves. Tobias wasn't entirely sure if he was qualified to be Abnegation anymore.

He was snapped out of his trance as he was pushed face first into the closet. "You are to stay in here and think about what you did." Marcus said roughly. Then the door slammed shut. He heard the lock click. He heard the door to the room slam shut. Tobias couldn't help himself. He started crying. That was also something that the Abnegation didn't do often either. It wasn't necessarily frowned upon, but that didn't mean it was a respected practice. Somehow, the boy couldn't bring himself to care at that moment.

"Help..." came his soft whimper once he heard the roar of Marcus' car engine as he drove away. He learned long ago not to beg for help while he was still in the premise. "Help," he said, stronger this time, almost at a regular volume. He tried to move back, but his small body made little to no impact on the heavy clothes strewn all around the confined space. His lungs began to burn because of the lack of oxygen. "Help!" He managed to scream, voice higher than usual. His cheeks began to burn, but that was the least of his concerns at that point in time. "Help! Help, _please!_ " Tobias could feel the walls press closer to him. He curled up tighter into himself. His throat and lungs were burning and stinging in protest. His eyes stung. One more meek "Help," managed to escape his lips, but nothing more. He had never felt as weak in his entire life as he did in that moment. His whole world was caving in around him.

For the next few minutes he screamed as loud and as long as he could, until he was certain he couldn't anymore. He had given himself laryngitis. He closed his eyes, but all he saw was himself in a box that was just getting smaller, smaller, smaller. Keeping his eyes open wasn't an option either. That just confirmed the reality of his situation. So he just sat and whimpered, letting the tears roll freely down his face.

Meanwhile, a small Abnegation girl climbed through the window of Marcus Eaton's house. She heard a series of screams and cries for help and her selfless side kicked in. Her brave and curious side kicked in too, even though that was also frowned upon from the abnegation standpoint. She was aware that Marcus had left prior to all the noise and she also knew that the man had a son. But she had never heard anyone sound that distressed before, let alone the cute boy from across the street. Selflessness didn't come easily for Beatris Prior, but that didn't mean she didn't try.

"Hey! Anyone here?" She called checking each room and searching all of them briefly. Yeah, it's nosy, but someone's in distress. "Hellooooo?!" Beatris ran faster, finally coming to a door that was closed. She thought he heard soft whimpering when she entered. "Hey? Anyone here?" She heard a faint pounding on the closet door. She gasped and forced her legs to move forward as fast as she could. The closet was small, which was usual, but the door locked on the outside. She made herself try the knob, and when that didn't work, she knew someone was locked in. She just wasn't sure who. _Only one way to find out_ she thought to herself.

She spun the lock, her hands shaking. Her eyes were closed as she swung the heavy door open. "Hey are you alri-" Her voice trailed off. Marcus's son sat curled in there with the heavy winter garments. His eyes were scrunched closed tightly, tears were streaming down his face, and his breathing was loud and ragged. Beatris' eyes widened as she took a step back momentarily, but that moment didn't last long. The ridiculously tiny girl waved her even smaller hand in front of his face. Nothing. She gently poked his arm. He gave a miniscule wince, but once again the effect was not what she desired. It was not until she gingerly rubbed a hand through the boy's short hair that he truly snapped out of his trance. Dark blue waterlogged eyes pierced her.

A girl was the first thing he noticed when he realized that, yes, the door to his dreaded confinement cage had been opened. She was absolutely beautiful in his opinion, even though when you asked her the word "plain" would always spill out of her mouth. A person that hadn't come to hurt him was a welcome relief. The light that accompanied her wasn't so bad either. Her outstretched hand was the second thing he noticed about her. He flushed as he took her hand and crawled out. He was unused to the foreign experience of a kind touch. Or, at least he was unused to it since his mother had left. It was nice.

"Are you okay?"

"F-fine." His voice just confirmed her suspicions. It was raspy, dry, shaking, cracking, and barely audible. The boy was terrified. She could see it in the way he moved. Not really aware of what she was doing anymore, she reached her arm out until it gently connected with his. His cheeks grew hot as she gently rubbed his forearm.

"No. No, you're not. Come with me across the street, that's where my house is. I can help you." Hesitance entered his features. She knew what she had to do. Beatris had no clue what had her so… so.. _selfless_ all of a sudden. She kind of liked it. But she did not like what she would have to do next. Gulping down whatever pride she had to hide from everyone, she spit out the horrid word, blushing and averting her eyes as she did so. "Please."

One eye open, she told herself, one eye open. So, she opened one eye and looked up until she could read his face. He nodded once he noticed he had caught her attention. "Great! Come on, follow me." The two were heading towards the door, when Beatris stopped abruptly and turned around, Tobias barely managing not to slam into her. She looked sheepish as she bowed to him in the standard abnegation greeting. "I'm Beatris, by the way."

"Tobias" Once again barely audible, but there was confidence behind it this time.

"Nice to meet you… _Tobias_." She stressed his name, testing it out on her tongue. She decided she liked it. She decided she liked it a lot. He was pretty sure his cheeks would be red forever at that point.

They made it across the street and into Beatris' house, where she laid him down on the couch. "Umm" she scratched the back of her head. "So.. are you okay?" The girl felt like wincing at her stupid question. Of course he wasn't okay. He was locked in a closet!

The boy, who was obviously uncomfortable, nodded his head and cleared his throat. "'M' fine." Beatrice simply shook her head, sighing.

"It's a good thing you aren't a Candor, Toby. They wouldn't be happy with lies like that, especially ones that obvious." She received a look, causing her to giggle. "Although with a glare like that, you could probably be a Dauntless."

"...Don't call me Toby, Tris."

"Tris?"

"Had to get you back somehow."

She laughed an infectious little giggle, sticking out her tongue as she turned the corner and strutted into the kitchen. "Too bad. I like it. Are you hungry?"

"Slightly, yeah. But you don't hav-" He didn't get to finish his sentence as a bowl of beans and rice was handed to him with a spoon while the girl gracelessly plopped next to him.

"My mom was cooking before she left. They should be cooked all the way through."

He started for a moment. It had been a long time since someone had done something this nice for him. It felt really good. "Thanks,"

"Don't mention it."

They chattered aimlessly after they finished eating, about life in general. But eventually Tobias had to go home, back to all the painful memories. The mere thought made Beatrice shudder. So, the two of them walked slowly to the house, up the creaking stairs, and to the small closet. Tobias gulped, and Beatrice knew he was nervous. Before she lost all her nerve, she stood on her toes, pecked his cheek, and ran out the door, saying "Be brave, Toby."

All Tobias could do was stand there with a growing smile on his face. But, still, that was the last time he'd let her call him Toby.

 **Hey guys! This is only a oneshot that's been cooking up in my brain oven for a while, so I finally got down to business and wrote it. I decided I needed more writing practice too, which is another reason. Did anyone else feel like Four is ridiculously awesome in the books and movies? (Even though I like his portrayal better in the books...) R and r!**

 **P.S. I absolutely HATE pop quizzes….**


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